function var_export(mixed_expression, bool_return) {
  //  discuss at: http://phpjs.org/functions/var_export/
  // original by: Philip Peterson
  // improved by: johnrembo
  // improved by: Brett Zamir (http://brett-zamir.me)
  //    input by: Brian Tafoya (http://www.premasolutions.com/)
  //    input by: Hans Henrik (http://hanshenrik.tk/)
  // bugfixed by: Brett Zamir (http://brett-zamir.me)
  // bugfixed by: Brett Zamir (http://brett-zamir.me)
  //  depends on: echo
  //   example 1: var_export(null);
  //   returns 1: null
  //   example 2: var_export({0: 'Kevin', 1: 'van', 2: 'Zonneveld'}, true);
  //   returns 2: "array (\n  0 => 'Kevin',\n  1 => 'van',\n  2 => 'Zonneveld'\n)"
  //   example 3: data = 'Kevin';
  //   example 3: var_export(data, true);
  //   returns 3: "'Kevin'"

  var retstr = '',
    iret = '',
    value,
    cnt = 0,
    x = [],
    i = 0,
    funcParts = [],
    // We use the last argument (not part of PHP) to pass in
    // our indentation level
    idtLevel = arguments[2] || 2,
    innerIndent = '',
    outerIndent = '',
    getFuncName = function (fn) {
      var name = (/\W*function\s+([\w\$]+)\s*\(/)
        .exec(fn);
      if (!name) {
        return '(Anonymous)';
      }
      return name[1];
    };
  _makeIndent = function (idtLevel) {
    return (new Array(idtLevel + 1))
      .join(' ');
  };
  __getType = function (inp) {
    var i = 0,
      match, types, cons, type = typeof inp;
    if (type === 'object' && (inp && inp.constructor) &&
      getFuncName(inp.constructor) === 'PHPJS_Resource') {
      return 'resource';
    }
    if (type === 'function') {
      return 'function';
    }
    if (type === 'object' && !inp) {
      // Should this be just null?
      return 'null';
    }
    if (type === 'object') {
      if (!inp.constructor) {
        return 'object';
      }
      cons = inp.constructor.toString();
      match = cons.match(/(\w+)\(/);
      if (match) {
        cons = match[1].toLowerCase();
      }
      types = ['boolean', 'number', 'string', 'array'];
      for (i = 0; i < types.length; i++) {
        if (cons === types[i]) {
          type = types[i];
          break;
        }
      }
    }
    return type;
  };
  type = __getType(mixed_expression);

  if (type === null) {
    retstr = 'NULL';
  } else if (type === 'array' || type === 'object') {
    outerIndent = _makeIndent(idtLevel - 2);
    innerIndent = _makeIndent(idtLevel);
    for (i in mixed_expression) {
      value = this.var_export(mixed_expression[i], 1, idtLevel + 2);
      value = typeof value === 'string' ? value.replace(/</g, '&lt;')
        .
      replace(/>/g, '&gt;') : value;
      x[cnt++] = innerIndent + i + ' => ' +
        (__getType(mixed_expression[i]) === 'array' ?
        '\n' : '') + value;
    }
    iret = x.join(',\n');
    retstr = outerIndent + 'array (\n' + iret + '\n' + outerIndent + ')';
  } else if (type === 'function') {
    funcParts = mixed_expression.toString()
      .
    match(/function .*?\((.*?)\) \{([\s\S]*)\}/);

    // For lambda functions, var_export() outputs such as the following:
    // '\000lambda_1'. Since it will probably not be a common use to
    // expect this (unhelpful) form, we'll use another PHP-exportable
    // construct, create_function() (though dollar signs must be on the
    // variables in JavaScript); if using instead in JavaScript and you
    // are using the namespaced version, note that create_function() will
    // not be available as a global
    retstr = "create_function ('" + funcParts[1] + "', '" +
      funcParts[2].replace(new RegExp("'", 'g'), "\\'") + "')";
  } else if (type === 'resource') {
    // Resources treated as null for var_export
    retstr = 'NULL';
  } else {
    retstr = typeof mixed_expression !== 'string' ? mixed_expression :
      "'" + mixed_expression.replace(/(["'])/g, '\\$1')
      .
    replace(/\0/g, '\\0') + "'";
  }

  if (!bool_return) {
    this.echo(retstr);
    return null;
  }

  return retstr;
}